Currently, the tallest structure ever built is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which stands at 829.8 meters tall. This skyscraper is just the most recent in a long series of structures that have held the title of the world’s tallest since ancient times. However, not all of these fit the modern definition…
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The birth of modern tourism: the Grand Tour
Between the 17th and the 19th century, it was a custom for wealthy Europeans to take a trip around Europe, usually in their early 20s. This trip, known as the Grand Tour, was a popular rite of passage during which travelers studied the culture and history of Europe, especially the heritage of classical antiquity and…
The Carrington Event: the strongest solar storm ever recorded
Disturbances on the Sun can cause the expulsion of radiation and plasma in the form of solar storms, which can emanate outwards and impact the entire Solar System. One of the events associated with this type of solar activity is a coronal mass ejection (CME), which causes the release of massive quantities of matter and…
Visiting Riga, the capital of Latvia
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia, hosting around a third of the entire population of the country. The city is located near the mouth of Daugava river, which flows into the Baltic Sea, and it is the main tourist destination of Latvia, as well as its most important economic and cultural center…
The history of opera
Opera is an art form that combines acting and music, and sometimes also dance, with performers taking on dramatic roles. Its name comes from the Latin and Italian word “opera”, meaning work, and indeed this form of theater originated in Italy and it is a key aspect of Italian tradition. Over time, opera evolved to…
The indigenous peoples who remain uncontacted
While the world in the 21st century is extremely interconnected, and we can easily talk with someone on the other side of the world, there are still numerous tribes of indigenous peoples who remain completely outside our society. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the United Nations and the non-profit group Survival International estimate…
How two Byzantine monks stole the secret of silk from China
Throughout the Middle Ages, the Byzantine Empire dominated the production and commerce of silk in Europe. For centuries, silk contributed heavily to the Byzantine economy, while Costantinople was the main silk-weaving center in all of Europe. Byzantine silk was a prestigious commodity sold at high prices, and was known for its bright colors and complex…
Visiting Tallinn, the capital of Estonia
Sitting on the southern shores of the Gulf of Finland, Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. In fact, it houses a third of the country’s entire population, and it is also its main economic and cultural hub, as well as its main tourist destination. The city is known for its beautiful and…
History of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands
The Ryukyu Islands are a chain of islands that extends between Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan, and Taiwan, marking the border between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. They are part of Japan and they are formed by a series of small archipelagos, from north to south: the…
30 years ago the comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 collided with Jupiter
In July 1994, we witnessed for the first time ever an extraterrestrial collision in our Solar System in real time, when the comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 collided with Jupiter. This incredible event was followed by many people and extensively covered by the media, while astronomers all over the world studied the collision. Thanks to this impact…